Shipping-crate.



` PATENTED 'JUNE 19, 1906. F. W. BBNDBR.

SHIPPING4 CRATE.

PPLITION FILED AUG. 1. 1905.

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AUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

SHIPPING-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1906.

Application filed August 1, 1905. Serial No. 272,147.

To au whom it may concern;

. Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BEN- DER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Crystallake, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Shipping-Crate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v

This invention relates to crates such as used in handling, storing, or shipping fruits and vegetables.

The object of the invention is to produce a crate of simple construction which will be eX- tremely rigid and strong, and, furthermore, to provide an arrangement which will prevent the contents of the crates from being subjected to pressure when set up in piles as arranged in cars for shipment.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in g Y the claim.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters 'of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.-

Figure 1 is a perspective of a crate constructed according to my invention, the cover thereof being removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throughthe crate with a cover in position. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the crate and showing the lower portion of a second crate set thereupon, the purpose of this view being to illustrate an arrangement for'preventingfressure upon the contents of the crates; an Fig. 4 is a horizontal crosssection taken at one of the corners of the crate.

Referring more articularly to the parts, 1 represents the bo y of the crate. This body is constructedwith four corner-posts 2, of substantial material, and these posts are formed on opposite corners with rabbets or vertical grooves 3. In this way longitudinally-dis osed shoulders are formed on the post. T e posts are connected .with a plurality of horizontal slats or bars 4 and 5, the former being disposed longitudinally of the crate and the latter constitutin the end Walls of the crate. These slats 4 an 5 after bein attached in position, as shown, are secure in place by additional reinforcing-strips or battens 6, which are fastened over the ends A thereof, as shown. The outer faces of these reinforcing-strips 6 are flush with the outer faces of the posts, as indicated. In this way a very firmand rigid construction is formed at the corners without rendering the appearance of the crate unsightly. The lowermost of the slats 5 are designated 5a, and these are of special construction, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. These slats are preferably of heavier construction than the others, and

' the inner face of each is provided with a rabbet 7 in such a way that oppositely-disposed shoulders 8 are formed. The bottom slats 9 of the crate rest upon these shoulders and are rigidly attached thereto by suitable fastening devices. In this way a space 10 is formed beneath the bottom of the crate in the lower extremities of the posts 2.

A cover 11, of any suitable construction, is

provided, the samebeing furnished on its inner face withtransverse cleats 12, `which assist in securing the cover in position. The advantage of elevating the bottom slats 9 lies substantially in` the fact that when the crates are piled one upon the other, as indicated in Fig. 3, the bottom of the crate disposed above is not in contact with the contents of the crate disposed beneath. From this arrangement the contents of the crates are relieved of all pressure, and while this is beneficial, since it prevents injury to the fruit, it is also an advantage in preventing any possibility of breaking the bottoms or covers of the crates. Thus the weight of the crates above is taken on the side walls of the crates below.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A-crate having corner-posts and longitudinally-disposed rabbets formed therein, vertical walls composed of horizontally-disposed slats having their ends attached in said rabbets, reinforcing-strips attached over the ends of said slats at said rabbets and having their outer faces flush with the outer faces of said posts, anopposite pair of said slats having shoulders formed on the inner faces thereof above the lower extremities of said posts, and slats resting on said shoulders and constituting a bottom for said crate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. BENDER. 'i Witnesses: JOHN MAcKENzrE, H" J. MERsEILEs CLENDENNY.

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